


A Means to an End

by Clair de Lune (clair_de_lune)



Series: Nothing to Remember [2]
Category: Prison Break
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-06
Updated: 2011-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-14 11:18:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/148714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clair_de_lune/pseuds/Clair%20de%20Lune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At least he’s had the guts to bring them himself. Not that she’s ever questioned his courage, bravery or nerve – especially nerve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Means to an End

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt by Burntcircles: _Michael and Nika. Nika gets the divorce papers and her signature is needed. May or may not be post-series, Michael and Nika face-to-face or not._  
>  Thanks to torigates for the beta.

At least he’s had the guts to bring them himself. Not that she’s ever questioned his courage, bravery or nerve – especially nerve. You really need all that to pull the kind of grand scam Michael Scofield pulled, so yes, she was pretty sure he possessed those qualities in abundance, maybe even in excess. That being said, on second thought, she has to wonder whether this is courage or mere impudence, whether he’s here out of consideration for her or because he wants to make sure she will sign the documents right here right now.

The divorce papers are laid out on the kitchen table at equidistance between the two of them like some sort of untouchable item. There are two faint damp finger imprints at the top right corner of the documents, where he held them when he got them out of his pocket. He’s sweating, which pleases her immensely even though she knows that it’s partly due to the hot, moist summer. He must be thirsty, but she didn’t offer him a glass of water and she won’t do it. It’s not that she wants to get back at him in the pettiest ways; it’s just that she wants this to be over as soon as possible. Read, sign, show him out, thanks a lot.

“You’re going to marry Sara?”

Well. So much for ending the whole thing as fast as possible.

She’s surprised how easily the name rolled off her tongue, as if she knew the woman when actually she met her once, and in a pretty questionable situation. But this was the first thought that came to her mind when she realized what the papers were about, that suddenly marriages – their own as well as his and the doc’s – have become an issue. Her assumption is a logical one, since she hasn’t heard of him for months, not directly anyway, but has known about his and the doctor’s whereabouts. She can add one and one. That’s the trick when you’re a criminal on the run, right? No more private life. And by the way, it’s also true when you’re the sham wife of a criminal on the run.

He doesn’t flinch at the question, but she detects the slightest twitch of his folded hands on the table.

“We’ve been talking about it. We’re not quite there yet,” he answers honestly.

Smart woman for making him wait. Or dumber than dumb woman for even considering marrying him. Nika can’t really make up her mind about that.

For the last few months, she went through a whole pallet of feelings, options and solutions regarding what was, clearly, an inevitable event. All things considered, they’d had a nice wedding, but it had never been a marriage and it was bound to end right from the start. She had no illusions about that. It was supposed to be an exchange of good practice – a green card for a credit card and a couple of favors. But what happened after? Whole different story. She wasn’t supposed to be stalked, threatened, kidnapped, interrogated for hours by the police and the FBI, put under surveillance and fear for her life. Damn, getting into a phony marriage was supposed to _avoid_ her all that.

She has considered various kinds of responses to Michael predictably asking for a divorce. Refusing to sign the papers. Demanding more or less outrageous compensations regardless of their initial settlement – it’s not like he stuck to his part of the deal, huh? Requiring an annulment instead of a divorce since she was perfectly entitled to do such a thing. At some point, she thought of asking for the divorce herself and filling the papers just to get rid of him; she discarded the idea because seriously, she had no reason to make things easier for him. After all, the legal bound has never been an issue to her; obviously, it has become one to him though.

So, she has carefully considered her means of action to realize, in the end, that she’s just tired; she just wants to get out of this mess. As Michael is sitting in front of her across the table, she says, “I’m not sorry I pointed a gun at you and your brother,” but she grabs the pen he hands her nonetheless. She says, “I’d do it all over again. I wanted it to stop,” and she quickly peruses through the clauses of their official separation. She knows them already anyway because they’ve been laid out before Michael and she stepped into the judge’s chamber.

“I know,” Michael admits, looking her in the eye. “I hurt a lot of people. I hurt you too. I wanted to apologize to you for that.” He reaches out for her, his long, elegant fingers skimming over the papers, and she recoils and leans against the back of her chair, realizing that this was his actual reason to show up now. Not the divorce, but the apologies, maybe the hope of being forgiven and cleaning the plate.

“Well, at least I’m still here to hear that. I don’t think everybody can say the same.” He does flinch at that, pain flashing in his eyes, and she holds in a sigh. “Don’t be sorry. You taught me something... actually, you reminded me something I shouldn’t have forgotten.”

He’d been kind to her. Nothing more and nothing less. Kind. But kindness is a means to an end – she has been a means to an end and it’s been foolish of her to forget that. You should never ever confuse kindness with affection or even genuine interest. It was a rule she learned when she was very young, followed into adulthood and imprudently ignored because of a smart suit, a pretty dress, a stylish ring and a bogus, although nice, kiss. As she signs her name on the papers, she thinks that it’s definitely something she’ll keep mind now.

-End-


End file.
